About this stotra
Apah Suktam: Hymn to the Sacred Waters
The Apah Suktam, found in the Rig Veda (10.9), is a nine-verse hymn dedicated to water. "Apah" means waters, and this hymn shows the Vedic understanding of water as more than just a physical element—it is a divine, life-giving force. The hymn addresses water with reverence, recognizing its role as the source of vitality, healing, and purification. In Vedic cosmology, waters existed before creation and are often called divine mothers who sustain all living beings. The Apah Suktam presents water as the carrier of soma (divine essence), the repository of all healing herbs, and the medium through which Agni (fire or vital energy) manifests.
Purification, Healing, and Spiritual Vitality
The hymn begins by praising waters as bringers of happiness and requesting vitality, joy, and clear perception. It addresses themes of maternal care, healing power, and purification, asking waters to wash away negative tendencies, falsehoods, and impurities. The Apah Suktam is traditionally recited during ritual bathing, water offerings, and purification ceremonies, particularly during daily worship (sandhyavandana) and before spiritual practices. Its verses invoke the purifying and vitalizing essence of water, making it both physically cleansing and spiritually transformative. The hymn concludes with a prayer for union with the life-giving essence of water, asking that its vitality and energy may fill the worshipper. This composition shows that water, in the Vedic vision, is sacred—a divine presence that connects us to the source of life, healing, and consciousness.
Apah Suktam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
आपो हि ष्ठा मयोभुवस्था न ऊर्जे दधातन ।
म॒हे रणा॑य॒ चक्ष॑से ॥१॥
āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvasthā na ūrje dadhātana .
mahe raṇāya cakṣase ..1..
Waters, you truly are sources of happiness; bestow upon us vitality, great delight, and clear perception.
Word by word
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- हि (hi)
- indeed
- ष्ठा (ṣṭhā)
- present
- मयोभुवः (mayobhuvaḥ)
- source of joy (mayaḥ:joy | bhuvaḥ:source of)
- स्था (sthā)
- remain
- न (na)
- not
- ऊर्जे (ūrje)
- for strength
- दधातन (dadhātana)
- impart
- महे (mahe)
- great
- रणाय (raṇāya)
- for battle (raṇa:battle | atha:for)
- चक्षसे (cakṣase)
- for vision
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
यो वः शिवतमो रसस्तस्य भाजयतेह नः ।
उशतीरिव मातरः ॥२॥
yo vaḥ śivatamo rasastasya bhājayateha naḥ .
uśatīriva mātaraḥ ..2..
O Waters, may you share with us that most auspicious essence of yours, like loving mothers (sharing their best with their children).
Word by word
- यः (yaḥ)
- who
- वः (vaḥ)
- your
- शिवतमः (śivatamaḥ)
- most auspicious
- रसः (rasaḥ)
- sap
- तस्य (tasya)
- of that
- भाजयते (bhājayate)
- shares
- इह (iha)
- here
- नः (naḥ)
- with us
- उशतीः (uśatīḥ)
- desiring
- इव (iva)
- like
- मातरः (mātaraḥ)
- mothers
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
तस्मा अरं गमाम वो यस्य क्षयाय जिन्वथ ।
आपो जनयथा च नः ॥३॥
tasmā araṃ gamāma vo yasya kṣayāya jinvatha .
āpo janayathā ca naḥ ..3..
O Waters, we approach you for that (essence) by which you invigorate those who dwell (on earth). O Waters, you give birth to us (i.e., sustain our lives).
Word by word
- तस्मा (tasmā)
- therefore
- अरं (araṃ)
- quickly
- गमाम (gamāma)
- we go
- वः (vaḥ)
- to you
- यस्य (yasya)
- whose
- क्षयाय (kṣayāya)
- for destruction
- जिन्वथ (jinvatha)
- you invigorate
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- जनयथा (janayathā)
- you generate
- च (ca)
- and
- नः (naḥ)
- us
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
शं नो देवीरभिष्टय आपो भवन्तु पीतये ।
शं योरभि स्रवन्तु नः ॥४॥
śaṃ no devīrabhiṣṭaya āpo bhavantu pītaye .
śaṃ yorabhi sravantu naḥ ..4..
May you divine Waters bring us peace and well-being for drinking. May the auspiciousness that flows in you, flow into us.
Word by word
- शं (śam)
- auspiciousness
- नः (naḥ)
- to us
- देवीः (devīḥ)
- goddesses
- अभिष्टय (abhiṣṭaya)
- wished for
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- भवन्तु (bhavantu)
- may be
- पीतये (pītaye)
- for drinking
- शं (śam)
- auspiciousness
- यः (yaḥ)
- which
- अभि (abhi)
- towards
- स्रवन्तु (sravantu)
- may flow
- नः (naḥ)
- to us
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
ईशाना वार्याणां क्षयन्तीश्चर्षणीनाम् ।
अपो याचामि भेषजम् ॥५॥
īśānā vāryāṇāṃ kṣayantīścarṣaṇīnām .
apo yācāmi bheṣajam ..5..
O Waters, you are the rulers of precious treasures and sovereigns over people. I ask of you the healing remedy.
Word by word
- ईशाना (īśānā)
- divinity
- वार्याणां (vāryāṇām)
- of waters
- क्षयन्ती (kṣayantī)
- dwelling
- ईश्चर्षणीनाम् (īścarṣaṇīnām)
- in the farm lands (īś:in | carṣaṇīnām:farm lands)
- अपः (apaḥ)
- waters
- याचामि (yācāmi)
- I implore
- भेषजम् (bheṣajam)
- nutrition
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
अप्सु मे सोमो अब्रवीदन्तर्विश्वानि भेषजा ।
अग्नि च विश्वशंभुवम् ॥६॥
apsu me somo abravīdantarviśvāni bheṣajā .
agni ca viśvaśaṃbhuvam ..6..
Soma told me that within the Waters dwell all healing herbs, and also Agni (fire) who brings universal well-being.
Word by word
- अप्सु (apsu)
- in the waters
- मे (me)
- to me
- सोमः (somaḥ)
- Soma
- अब्रवीत् (abravīt)
- said
- अन्तः (antaḥ)
- inside
- विश्वानि (viśvāni)
- all
- भेषजाः (bheṣajāḥ)
- medicinal herbs
- अग्निः (agniḥ)
- fire
- च (ca)
- and
- विश्वशंभुवम् (viśvaśaṃbhuvam)
- brings auspiciousness to the world (viśva:world | śaṃbhuvam:brings auspiciousness)
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
आपः पृणीत भेषजं वरूथं तन्वेऽ मम ।
ज्योक्च सूर्यं दृशे ॥७॥
āpaḥ pṛṇīta bheṣajaṃ varūthaṃ tanve' mama .
jyokca sūryaṃ dṛśe ..7..
O Waters, filled abundantly with healing herbs, be a protection for my body, so that I may behold the sun for long (live long).
Word by word
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- पृणीत (pṛṇīta)
- fill
- भेषजं (bheṣajam)
- medicine
- वरूथं (varūtham)
- protection
- तन्वे (tanve)
- for the body
- मम (mama)
- my
- ज्योक् (jyok)
- long
- च (ca)
- and
- सूर्यं (sūryam)
- sun
- दृशे (dṛśe)
- to see
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
इदमापः प्र वहत यत्किं च दुरितं मयि ।
यद्वाहमभिदुद्रोह यद्वा शेप उतानृतम् ॥८॥
idamāpaḥ pra vahata yatkiṃ ca duritaṃ mayi .
yadvāhamabhidudroha yadvā śepa utānṛtam ..8..
O Waters, wash away from me whatever evil (tendency) is in me, whatever wrong I have committed, whatever curse (I have uttered), or whatever falsehood (I have spoken).
Word by word
- इदम् (idam)
- this
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- प्र (pra)
- forth
- वहत (vahata)
- carry
- यत्किं (yatkiṃ)
- whatever (yat:whatever | kim:what)
- च (ca)
- and
- दुरितं (duritaṃ)
- wickedness
- मयि (mayi)
- in me
- यद्वा (yadvā)
- or whatever (yat:whatever | vā:or)
- अहम् (aham)
- I
- अभिदुद्रोह (abhidudroha)
- treacheries
- यद्वा (yadvā)
- or whatever (yat:whatever | vā:or)
- शेप (śepa)
- falsehood
- उत (uta)
- and
- अनृतम् (anṛtam)
- untruth
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
आपो अद्यान्वचारिषं रसेन समगस्महि ।
पयस्वानग्न आ गहि तं मा सं सृज वर्चसा ॥९॥
āpo adyānvacāriṣaṃ rasena samagasmahi .
payasvānagna ā gahi taṃ mā saṃ sṛja varcasā ..9..
O Waters, today I have come to you; may I merge with your essence. O Waters filled with nourishment, rich with Agni (vitality), come to me—unite me with luster and vigor.
Word by word
- आपः (āpaḥ)
- waters
- अद्य (adya)
- today
- अन्वचारिषं (anvacāriṣaṃ)
- I came
- रसेन (rasena)
- with rasa
- समगस्महि (samagasmahi)
- we deeply enter
- पयस्वान् (payasvān)
- endowed with milk
- अग्ने (agne)
- O Agni
- आ (ā)
- come
- गहि (gahi)
- enter
- तं (taṃ)
- that
- माम् (mām)
- me
- सं सृज (saṃ sṛja)
- produce
- वर्चसा (varcasā)
- with lustre
ॐ
